Constantly Changing
by Keeperofthemoon0
Summary: "I'm just so curious over you, Lily. But you know that already." James/Lily


-*.*.*-

Title: Constantly Changing

Summary: "I'm just so curious over you, Lily. But you know that already." James/Lily

Disclaimer: I only own the plot.

-*.*.*-

Lily wasn't sure she'd ever get use to the way he looked at her. They had basically grown up together, going from scrawny first years to fourth years dealing with puberty to seventh years who had spent far too many nights struggling to stay awake to study for exams. Throughout all those years James Potter's gaze on her still left her slightly unsettled.

And she could describe the look perfectly, even if she hadn't seen him for days. It would often occur when she didn't notice he was watching; if she were chewing on the end of her quill or rolling her eyes at a stupid joke Sirius said or elbowing Marlene when the girl couldn't stop laughing at Sirius' stupid joke. His lips would curl at the ends but it would never be a complete smile, as though he didn't want others to know she amused him so much. His eyes would appraise her and she'd turn to see him already turning away. But those eyes, soft in wonder, they'd linger on her for just a moment.

It was their little secret that she made him so happy.

At first Lily had been more than a tad annoyed to find Potter's gaze on her more often than not. Then they became friends and the looks became more of a _thing_. They were going to happen and apparently nothing would stop them, even as James learned how annoyed Lily could get before seven a.m. or when he found her crying after an encounter with Severus or how she still became overly excited about magic- because, bloody hell, she was a witch! When would she not be excited about the life she lived, a life she had never dreamt of as a child?

Even now, as Remus attempted to balance a spoon on his nose, she could feel the familiar burn of his eyes. Lily twisted in her seat, her group of laughing friends now at her back, so her eyes could meet his.

"What was it this time?" she asked before she could stop herself.

James' eyebrows perked and he shifted in his seat, a lovely pink rising in his cheeks.

"What?"

Lily turned completely now, giving him her full attention. This time last year they had just begun their friendship. Their group of friends were merging as their schoolwork became more important and the outside world became more intense. They were all each other had here. This time last year she would not have been this open with him. But now she couldn't help it.

"You were looking at me, James," Lily said.

He let out a loud, surprised laugh that would rival Sirius'. She couldn't help the smile that came to her lips.

"I didn't realize," he told her.

"You didn't?"

James shrugged, lifting his hands as he did so.

"You look at me often, Potter. I want to know why."

She had tried to sound threatening but the sudden appearance of his goofy smile made her laugh.

"You want to know why I was eyeing you this time, do you?" James asked.

His sleeves were rolled up to his elbows and Lily stared his arms (don't look too hard, Evans) as he reached for her. He flicked her nose and she yelped. It was barely heard over the bustle of the Great Hall but James burst into laughter nonetheless. Lily scrunched her nose.

"You've got a booger there," he told her.

"Bullocks!" she cried, reaching up to check her nose out of reflex.

Behind her there was a clatter of silverware hitting the table. Marlene was booing, over Remus' failed attempt Lily was sure, and Peter was laughing loudest of them all. Lily leaned close to James. She didn't like to tease him, really she didn't, but recently things had begun to change between them and she liked to test the water.

"Tell me the truth."

James breathed out and the warm air hit Lily's face. She smirked when James rolled his eyes.

"Fine, fine," he paused. "You want to know why I was looking at you? I'll tell you, lass."

He leaned even closer to her and brushed a piece of hair from her face. The sudden intimacy jolted Lily's insides but she didn't move, couldn't move, as James Potter's eyes searched her face.

"I could tell you that I couldn't stop watching as your smile grew while you watched Mooney over there."

His fingers ghosted over her jaw before retreating down to catch her hand. She wasn't sure why she was letting him touch her like this, not that he hadn't before but this was different, very different, and Lily couldn't explain why. They were friends, this was fine.

"Or I could tell you it's because your hair looks rather nice this morning, as if you spent extra time in front of the mirror than normal."

When Lily gasped dramatically and went to tug her hand out of his, James grinned. But she didn't pull her hand away from his completely and he took it as a sign to move forward.

"And usually it does have to do with that, I swear."

Lily's tongue darted out to moisten her lips.

"But today I was thinking rather hard on what it would be like to catch you in a dark corridor. I was wondering if I could speed up your breathing with one kiss right here," and his free hand pressed against the pulse on her neck. "I was wondering if you'd like being pressed up against the corridor wall or if you'd prefer a kinder approach. I'm just so curious over you, Lily. But you know that already."

And she did know it. But it didn't stop her face from burning red or her palms from becoming sweaty or her stomach from doing somersaults.

"You little pervert," Lily managed to squeak out.

James smirked and released her, leaning his weight against the table. Tilting his head, stupid glasses shining in the candlelight, he watched her. That familiar half smile graced his face as Lily took a deep breath. Pursing her lips, she eyed him back.

"You wanted to know the truth," he told her.

Sirius was banging his hands on the table behind her and Dorcas was trying to loudly talk over him about the Quidditch games coming up.

Lily nodded.

"I appreciate your honesty, Potter," she said.

James' eyes searched her face, his playful mask shifting.

"Do you?"

James Potter was not the same boy she had met in her first year, cocky and outrageous. At least, she reasoned, he was not up to the same tactics that he had been up to when he was eleven years old. Though still a tad cocky and outrageous (if only Lily could get a picture of his face after a well thought out prank went off without a problem) he had matured. And he was no longer the fourth year who was going through puberty and noticed that she happened to be too. Though his eyes stayed on her longer than normal, Lily no longer felt that his gaze was for all the wrong reasons.

In the past two years while the world outside had grown dark and the atmosphere inside had grown more intense their relationship had changed. It was constantly changing, as Marlene had pointed out with a smirk. She had gone from hardly noticing him to being thoroughly annoyed by him to becoming good friends with him. And now they were on the border of something else.

Leaning forward, Lily caught his gaze.

"Let's go find out."

His eyebrows furrowed.

"Find out what, exactly?"

She reached up and pressed two fingers to the pulse on his neck. His skin was warm and soft beneath her touch.

"If you can make my breathing speed up with a kiss right here."

Then she swung her legs over the bench and grabbed her worn bag. Tossing her hair over her shoulder and sparing James one last glance, he looked as though he had been Stupefied, Lily waved goodbye to her friends.

"Forgot something in the dormitory," she offered as an excuse before heading out.

There was a scramble of movement behind her and she heard a loud "Gotta take a piss!" before he appeared beside her. His warm body pressed next to hers and she looked up at James. He was looking straight ahead but his lips were curled.

"Why are you looking at me like that, Evans?" he asked.

She couldn't help but laugh.


End file.
